Blessed are the very surfaces he touches. To be in his presence fills me with holy joy. To be in his service is more than I could have ever dreamed. The gods of the Undying Light have bestowed upon us our savior. The godking will usher in an age of Farako domination, and I will be at the helm of his righteous army. The wicked will fall and the just will flourish. Praise be, the godking Darex Voltus.
* Journal of Starvast Guardian Kasey Storm the Darkbolt
Farako Capitol
Godking Darex Voltus sat at the end of a long table with his advisor, High Priestess Lys, standing to his right. Even sitting he was of great stature. His face was stern and regal. He kept his blonde hair slicked back over his scalp. His bushy eyebrows rested above piercing blue eyes.
The seats of the table were filled with the twelve members of his Starvast and his daughter, Princess Marilyn.
Darex twisted at one of his large blonde sideburns as he inspected the box before him. He picked it up and spilled its contents. A large handful of blue pebbles spread out over the table and scattered among them were three black pebbles. Each one representing an anonymous vote against the belief that Darex was a divine being.
The room hung in silence as the accusing eyes of the Starvast looked every which direction.
Kasey Storm was first to break the silence. “Well?! Do the cowards care to reveal themselves?”
“That won’t be necessary, Darkbolt,” said Darex. “My hope is that after today’s demonstration, the entirety of my Starvast will be true believers.”
“Anyone lacking in faith up to this point doesn’t deserve to serve you, my king,” Kasey retorted.
“Until every prophecy is fulfilled, the godking will have his naysayers,” said Lys. “As you all know, Darex has already completed three of the four prophecies written by the ancient seers. It was ordained that the champion would come from a banished royal line. As the direct descendant of King Farak himself, Darex more than fulfills the first prophecy. It was also ordained that the champion would end a civil war. Which Darex had done when he ended the misguided centuries long war between you and your distant cousins still enslaved by New Jhori. Thirdly, it was ordained that the champion would experience great loss through the death of their only son. As you all know, Darex has lost his one and only son, Prince Marlo Voltus. Snatched from his royal crib under the cover of darkness and slain nearly twelve years ago.”
“And this fourth prophecy?” Starvast General Tamos Thunder inquired. He was one of the Starvast’s most senior members. His once bright blue hair was now taking on a gray hue. Which could be seen in both the short hair on his head and in his well-trimmed beard. It was difficult to tell if his question came from a place of doubt or intrigue.
“The champion will be able to wield the weapon of a god,” recited Lucius Storm. “Whatever that is.”
“This is what we’ve been waiting for,” said Kasey. Her dark green eyes widened with gleeful anticipation as she waited to hear what Lys was going to say next.
“Because the Ascended Ones of the Undying Light have ordained him to be our champion, I was able to procure from our vaults an ancient relic that will put to rest any qualms about Darex’s divinity,” said Lys. “The artifact has been equipped onto the king’s warship. Its origin is unknown, but we are certain it predates even the Old Jhori. From a time when the seven celestials still roamed freely across the cosmos. It responds only to bril. Making the Elementi one of the few races who could potentially power the weapon.”
Darex stood up. “So, if you would all follow me to my ship, I shall put any doubt to rest.”
Marilyn stayed close to Kasey and Lucius as the Starvast were escorted to the royal hangar. Even if they had suspected that she had turned in one of the black pebbles, they wouldn’t try to scorn her or call her out. She hoped.
“Did you?” whispered Lucius once everyone had boarded and found different tables to sit at. Darex’s starship was more than spacious enough to bring everyone up to his warship in one trip.
Marilyn shook her head.
“No, you won’t answer or no you didn’t put in a black pebble?” Lucius inquired.
“Leave her alone,” Kasey snapped. Still keeping her voice down. “Of course, she put in a blue pebble.”
Lucius slumped back in his chair unsatisfied. Little else was said along the way. The energy of the room was thick with nervous anticipation.
The devotees of the Undying Light who surrounded the planet made way so the godking could easily traverse the space above the planet known to them as Farako Capitol. Once on the warship, the group was led to a large chamber that hosted the weapon of the gods.
The ancient relic appeared to be made of thousands, if not millions, of small black rings that glistened under the lights hanging from the ceiling. It was shaped like a large arrowhead that was lying flat. The sharp end of the relic pointed out a window made of a forcefield that would allow solid matter and energy to traverse through it but kept the vacuum of space outside. The wide end of the relic had two handles that protruded from it.
“This weapon cannot be powered by any mere mortal,” said Lys. “Only a divine being can operate the Godbolt. The Champion of the Undying Light is such a being. Godking Darex Voltus, step forward and claim your godhood!”
Darex nodded, but just as he had taken his first step he was interrupted.
“Hold on just a minute!” yelled Tamos Thunder. “I can trace my lineage back to King Farak just as well as Darex!” The older general pointed at his chest with his thumb as he spoke. “My grandmother was Princess Veronica Voltus before she married a Thunder! And I more than did my part during that bloody civil war. A war that took my only son. A son I saw buried with my own eyes I might add!”
Tamos’s nephew, Starvast Guardian Faran Thunder, spoke out against him. “Uncle! Stop this blasphemy at once!”
Darex folded his large muscular arms. “How would you like to settle this, Tamos?” Blue electricity started to dance around him.
Tamos looked around at his fellow Starvast for some support. He found none. He knew he could never take on Darex in a fight. No one could. He scoffed and spit at the ground. “Sounds like all I have to do is power up this device myself,” he said. “Then I’ll have just as much claim as you, isn’t that right?”
“How dare you!” shouted Kasey. Black electricity started to circle around her body. “You are nothing compared to the godking!”
Lys held up a hand to silence the room and keep tempers in check. “If the mortal wants to try and wield the Godbolt,” she said. “I see no harm in it. If he can wield it, it would certainly be worth knowing. If he cannot, then we will be even more certain of Darex’s divinity when the true godking is able to.”
“Well,” whispered Lucius to Marilyn. “That’s one black pebble accounted for.”
Darex unfolded his arms to gesture for Tamos to approach the ancient relic. The Starvast General did so and started raising his bril as he did. Every now and then a small bolt of yellow electricity jumped from one part of his body to another. He rubbed his hands together and bright light jolted from them in several different directions.
Starvast General Jaren Shockey had to dodge one bolt that came directly for his face. Another devoted diehard of her father. Marilyn was certain that he wasn’t a black pebble suspect. The look of disgust on his face toward Tamos said it all.
Tamos pulled his hands apart and grasped the handles of the Godbolt. The rings closest to him started to glow and spin. As they spun, they floated away from each other. Electricity came from all around his body and shot directly into the handles. More and more rings started to glow and spin, but once they reached a quarter of the way, Tamos started to struggle.
At first, he growled. As if he was trying to lift some immense object. Then his growls turned to shouts of pain.
“I can’t let go!” he yelled out between what was turning into screams of terror. “What in the abyss is this? Shut it off! Shut the damn thing off!”
“Uncle!” shouted Faran. “What’s it doing to him!?”
Tamos fell to his knees and his blueish gray hair turned white and withered. His skin grew wrinkles. As he turned to face the Starvast everyone could see that his eyes had sunken in and turned a milky white. He was aging rapidly before their very eyes. Being drained of all bril.
“I’m sorry,” Tamos croaked with the voice of an old man on his death bed. “Please,” he begged Lys.
Lys ignored him and turned to the congregation. “This is what happens to mortals who claim a false divinity. Take heed and do not meddle with things far above your station.”
Tamos let out a final tortured scream before the Godbolt finally released him and he fell to the floor. All the rings returned to their original position. The light slowly faded away until the Godbolt was again all black.
Darex walked up to him and stood over his former general. Tamos could do nothing but breathe, and even that was an immense struggle for him.
“Tamos Thunder, it saddens me to see you like this,” said Darex with scarce sincerity.
Tamos tried to speak but found himself only gasping for more air in the middle of any word he tried to choke out.
Darex rolled the frail little man onto his back with a light kick. “What is it, my old friend?” He kneeled down next to him to try and better hear his struggling whispers.
With his ear up to Tamos’s mouth he was barely able to make out what it was the shriveled husk of a man was trying to say.
“K-kill… me.”
Darex shook his head and spoke up so everyone could hear him. “And what warrior would want to kill such a frail and defenseless creature? No, Tamos, a warrior’s death is reserved for just that. You are no longer a warrior, you are no longer a member of the Starvast, and you certainly were never a god. Now, you are without a doubt the weakest Elementi in existence. An infant could finish you off by simply laying across your face.”
Marilyn was beginning to feel ill. She knew her father felt betrayed, but Tamos had more than paid the price for that betrayal. She wished her father would just give him a noble death and be done with it. Instead, Tamos was carried out by a guard and taken down to the med-bay. The doctors there would be instructed to do everything in their power to extend his life for as long as possible. To extend his punishment for as long as possible.
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Faran had started to follow after his uncle. He was stopped by the Godking just as he got to the door.
“Choose your allegiances wisely, Starvast Guardian,” Darex told the young man.
Faran turned around and rejoined the group to watch the demonstration. “My apologies, Godking Darex.”
“You are forgiven,” Darex told him.
“Would the other two Starvast that put in black pebbles care to try the Godbolt?” Kasey asked. “Or can we continue?”
The remaining Starvast looked around nervously.
“There are no other two,” announced Lys.
“What do you mean?” asked Kasey. “There were three black pebbles in total. I saw them. We all saw them.”
“All three of which were already in the box before any Starvast was allowed into the room,” said Lys. “Everyone put in a blue pebble just as I had suspected they would. Even Tamos put in a blue pebble.”
Lucius raised his eyebrows at Marilyn. She wasn’t sure why he would doubt her. It wasn’t as if she wanted to make a scene with her lack of faith. She knew how upset her father would be if he found out she put in a black pebble. It was always going to be the blue pebble for her.
“You switched out the three blue pebbles before we all entered,” said Starvast Guardian Jasper Flash. “So, that 13 pebbles would remain in the box.”
“A clever tactic,” said Lucius. “By putting three false pebbles into the box, you were able to give anyone who was lacking in belief the courage to reveal themselves. Tamos assumed there were at least three other Starvast who would come to his aid if he betrayed the faith.”
“Precisely,” said Lys. “So, there is no need to hunt down any infidel, Guardian Kasey. Everyone here is of the faith.”
“Seems like a dirty rotten trick to me,” said Marilyn. “And a waste of a decent fighter.”
The room hung in an uncomfortable silence for a moment before Darex tried to ease the tension. “As heartwarming as sticking to a morale code is, it unfortunately has little place when trying to successfully run a nation. Especially a nation on the brink of conflict. Any traitors must be sought out and purged at all costs. Farako knows too well what damage a traitor can accomplish in times of war.”
Marilyn wanted to argue, but she knew how to read a room. Any slight against her father would be foolish if not borderline dangerous in front of this crowd. Some of the Starvast might be devoted enough to take her out of the picture if they thought it would benefit the Undying Light, or the future of the Farako nation.
Darex stepped up to the Godbolt and Marilyn again wanted to protest her father’s actions. What if she was right? What if her father really wasn’t a god? He would end up looking ancient and half-starved. Governing Farako would then fall on her shoulders. A day that she dreaded and hoped would never come.
She said nothing as she watched her father raise his bril.
Unlike Tamos, Darex had several bolts of electricity dancing all around his body. The lights started to flicker in response to his bril charging up. Everyone’s hair stood on end as the room became filled with static.
Darex clasped the handles and half of the rings on the Godbolt jumped to life. They glowed, spun, and levitated up. This time the rings started to float up and form the shape of a large X. Each point of the X extended out and connected down to a singular center point.
Darex started to groan as more and more electricity shot from his body into the large relic.
Marilyn must have been wearing her worry on her face because she felt Kasey grab her hand as they watched. She had thought Kasey’s blind faith in the Undying Light to be both ignorant and annoying, but at this moment she found that optimism to be quite comforting.
Darex let out a final battle cry as every ring on the Godbolt came to life and fell into place. Out of the end came an enormous beam of light that forced everyone in the room, aside from Lys, to shield their eyes.
When the light was gone, Marilyn quickly unshielded her eyes to see what condition her father was in. Smoke was rising all around him, and he was breathing very heavy. Otherwise, he seemed to be alright.
“Stars above,” said Lucius. He had unconsciously put his hand over his mouth in response to his bewilderment.
“Let there be no more doubt!” announced Lys to the room.
Marilyn looked around to see everyone in a state of bafflement. She glanced out into the distance, and she too saw what everyone was so astonished by.
Out on the edge of their solar system where the uninhabited green gas planet of Tatus once orbited, now appeared to be a bright green star. The green sphere ignited, and everyone was again forced to cover their eyes from the intense brightness. Soon after, the ship was hit by a shockwave that briefly shut off the power.
Marilyn felt herself drift up in the darkness. Tatus was now gone. An entire planet. Absent. Wiped from existence. This was truly the weapon of a god. But was her father really the one intended to wield it?
The power came back on, and the artificial gravity along with it. Everyone landed on their feet. Marilyn found herself scanning the faces in the room. Her father was beaming with pride as she would have expected. He had just ensured his place in the hall of legends. Lys looked more pleased than Marilyn had ever known her to be. She also couldn’t help but notice a hint of relief on the priestess’s face. It seemed not everyone was without doubt. It angered her to think that the priestess would risk her father’s life without knowing for certain what the repercussions would be. The members of the Starvast held faces of awe and wonder. Especially Kasey. She held the largest smile of all.
It was only when her eyes fell upon Lucius that she felt she saw something other than admiration. Though, the admiration was certainly present, she recognized the same innate terror she was also trying to hide.
“All hail Darex Voltus, the Godking!” shouted Lys as she fell to one knee.
Everyone in the room, excluding Marilyn, followed suit. Echoing the high priestess.
“All hail Darex Voltus, the Godking!”
Another meeting was held the day after Darex’s demonstration. The room was silent as the Starvast awaited the arrival of their deity king. As soon as he entered, everyone stood and cheered. Some more enthusiastically than others.
“Please,” Darex said with a smile as he gestured for them all to take their seats. He remained standing at the foot of the table with Lys by his side. “This meeting is to discuss our strategy of unifying the Elementi.”
Marilyn could see the uneasiness in the room. With Tamos Thunder’s seat now vacant, there were only two remaining Starvast who had fought against the Jhori Elementi in the centuries long war. Starvast Generals Samoso Powers and Lesandra Jolt. The remaining Starvast aside from Kasey and Lucius Storm were at least old enough to remember childhoods full of funerals. Joining forces with their former enemies wasn’t something they had ever intended to do.
“I know this new path we blaze will be hard for some to come to terms with, but this is the path of the Undying Light! I am its champion and if you have faith in me then you must also have faith in this. The Jhori Elementi are not our enemies. They never were our enemy. It is the Empress Elect and her crooked councilors who deceive them. Who deceive us all!”
Several Starvast nodded in approval as they listened to Darex’s speech.
“I mean to offer all Elementi refuge. No matter what crimes they committed against us in the past. I hereby absolve all Elementi, no matter their loyalties, of any crime committed during the long war of deception!”
The room gave a forced cheer.
“My warship is being prepped for a voyage to Elementa as we speak,” said Darex. “Lys and I will coordinate with the kings and queens of the Jhori Elementi for a safe and expediate evacuation of their people.”
“I beg the godking’s pardon,” said Kasey. “But how can we be certain that this isn’t a trap?”
“I have been in contact with King Jrax Ferno of Pyra,” said Darex.
Marilyn couldn’t help but notice Lesandra clench her fists at the mention of that name. Her wife, Starvast General Debara Jolt, was quick to put a hand of comfort on her back. Marilyn could only wonder as to what history would cause such a reaction.
“Though he may be lacking in sobriety,” Darex continued. “I do not doubt that he makes up for it with honor. If he wanted to kill me, he would tell me so. He has no love for the institution that has his people imprisoned on their moon. He also does not know that I will be present. I only told him I’d be sending my envoy, Lys.”
“Forgive me,” said Kasey. “I should have assumed that extra measures were being taken for your safety.”
“It is alright, Guardian Kasey,” said Darex. “Your loyalty would never be misinterpreted as an insult. As for the Jhori Elementi, I am certain that when we reveal to them the true intentions the Jhori have for their future, they will have no choice but to join us.”
Lys stepped up to the table. “Our spies have unveiled several documents proving that they mean to keep control of their Elementi population by any means necessary. This includes introducing bril reducing poisons into their rations. Along with chemicals designed to decrease fertility.”
“What fools,” said Kasey. “Weakening their own warriors.”
Darex nodded in agreement. “That is why it is my duty, our duty, to offer them refuge. They may be our vastly distant cousins, but in a galaxy that is so large and full of danger, family, no matter their differences, need to stick together.”
“This meeting is also to inform you that the Godking Darex Voltus, Champion of the Undying Light, has a challenger,” said Lys.
The Starvast looked around wondering which one from among them could possibly still be foolish enough to challenge Darex.
“It is no one from within this room,” Lys assured them. “There is a group of heretics who have abandoned the faith and started a cult. They too claim to be followers of the Undying Light, yet they refuse to accept Darex as the true champion.”
“Even after the final demonstration?” asked Starvast General Jaren Shocky. His feathery blonde hair parted in the middle. Of the four eligible Starvast males who made moves on her, Marilyn loathed his advances the most.
“They claim that their priestesses have been given prophetic dreams,” said Lys. “That the Champion of the Undying Light will not wield lightning, but wild violet flames.”
“Violet flames?” asked Lucius. “Has anyone ever heard of a Pyran who could wield violet flame?”
“There is an old legend in the archives that mentions one who could long ago,” explained Lys. “But it is by no means a credible source.”
“So, then who do they claim as their champion?” asked Marilyn. It wasn’t so much that she was concerned, as she was curious. Whoever it was had to be a powerful warrior.
“Out of fear for their champion’s safety they have gone to great lengths to keep his identity a secret. However, our spies within their sect have discovered who it is they have put so much faith in. It is the 13-year-old son of King Jrax, Prince Jraken Ferno.”
“A child?” asked Kasey. “Their champion is a child? Darex would crush him with a simple flex of his divine bril!”
“I wouldn’t be so certain,” said Lys. Much to everyone’s astonishment. “We have received peculiar reports on the boy since discovering he was chosen by the heretics. He was able to keep up with his father in a public spar for some time before finally being defeated. The Jhori have also decided to send him to their brainwashing academy two years early. We fear that this is to ensure his loyalty to their nation.”
“That explains why they insist on secrecy though,” said Lucius. “Religion is outlawed in Jhori. If word got out that people thought Jraken was a god, he and his followers would be put to death.”
“Precisely,” said Lys. “I believe it would be in our best interest to convert Jraken to our cause as quickly as possible. Then there would be no denying that Darex is the true champion.”
“And if he refuses, we have the Godbolt,” said Kasey. “I still don’t see why we don’t just use it and lay claim to the entire nations of Jhori and Plaquar. We are unstoppable now!”
“Our goal is to convert the nonbelievers to the path of the Undying Light,” said Lys. “The Godbolt is an absolute last resort. Our hope is that its mere existence will stop wars before they start.”
“You expect the Jhori to just watch their best warriors sail away without reacting?” asked Marilyn. “They don’t even know we have a world killing weapon.”
“That was the whole purpose of the demonstration,” said Lys. “Billions of beings travelled from hundreds of worlds to witness Darex wield the Godbolt. Now, these devotees are known as the Beacon Seers. Their new mission is to spread word across the galaxy of what they witnessed. To tell everyone that the true Champion of the Undying Light has already been chosen.”
Marilyn slammed her fist on the table. “You what?!”
Everyone was stunned by her sudden outburst. They were used to her passive aggressiveness, but this was something they knew the godking would not abide.
“Watch yourself, princess,” Darex warned.
“We just went over how religion is outlawed in Plaquar and Jhori!” said Marilyn. “You’re sending all these people to their deaths!”
“I wouldn’t expect you to understand,” said Lys. “Only the most faithful can comprehend what true duty and sacrifice means to one’s cause. No one is forcing anyone to do anything. They go of their own volition.”
“Because their god asked them too!” Marilyn was now standing up and had raised her voice even more than before. “No wonder religion is outlawed in the other great nations!”
Darex stared at his daughter with eyes of disappointment. “You are excused.”
“Dad, please,” Marilyn said, “Don’t do this. Call them back.”
“You are excused,” he repeated. This time with a more commanding tone.
Marilyn left the room and slammed the door behind her. Ever since Lys showed up spouting off her savior nonsense, her father had grown more and more distant. Now that he had wielded the Godbolt, she feared his god complex would become even more troubling. He truly believed he was a god, and so did billions of others. How could that not all go to a person’s head?
It felt like everyone was losing their minds but her. She arrived back at her starship and, as always, found comfort in the company of her companions.
“I mean if you’re the daughter of a god,” slurred Ryllah. They had been drinking alcoholic fizzy drinks at Marilyn’s request. They didn’t often drink alcohol, but the combination of being kicked out of a Starvast meeting and coping with the fact her father was not far from committing mass genocide had made tonight a special occasion. “Would that not make you a goddess princess?”
“Goddess warrior princess,” Marilyn corrected.
“Makes sense to me,” said Kembro. Then he hiccupped and leaned back into the couch.
They were all sitting in the lounging quarters of her ship which consisted of three large couches surrounding a coffee table.
“I’m kidding!” said Marilyn as she finished her fizzy drink. “I have no desire to be a goddess. Being a princess already brings in enough unwanted attention.”
“So, are we off on another adventure or are we sticking around here?” asked Ryllah.
A mischievous smile crept across Marilyn’s face. “Kembro, I want you to sneak us onto my father’s warship. He’s taking a little trip to our ancient homeworld of Elementa, and we’re going to join him.”
“I take it we were not invited to said trip then?” asked Ryllah.
“No,” said Marilyn. “But I just found out some very interesting things about a certain Pyran prince who I am now dying to meet.”